Solid Waste Association of North America

10/20/2026

Be proactive, not reactive. And never take the public’s trust for granted.🌎🤝

🎙️That’s one of the messages explored in the latest Recyclist Podcast episode with SWANA Board Member Sebastian Hultberg, P.Eng. 🇸🇪🇨🇦 of Eco360.

From the work of Canada’s SWANA Chapters and his experience at RCon® 2026 to evolving legislation and emerging industry trends, Sebastian discusses the value of sharing knowledge across regions and bringing Canada’s experience into the broader SWANA community. 🧠

He also highlights something every waste and professional understands: community education matters. 📚♻️

✅ Accurate, up-to-date information helps the public make better decisions about proper disposal, while proactive 🌱 helps maintain the trust that makes effective resource management possible.

⚖️ As legislation continues to evolve, staying informed and proactive helps the industry demonstrate the environmental stewardship communities expect.

🎧 Listen to the new episode to hear Sebastian’s perspective on where the industry is today and where it’s headed. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ecLM0aYPkNM

SWANA is proud to support Recyclist Podcast alongside Diamond Systems LLC

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10/19/2026

What can a free SWANA student membership lead to? A lot more than students might expect. 🌎

SWANA’s Kristyn Oldendorf recently visited Loyola University Maryland to speak with students in environmental fields about the opportunities available to them as they prepare to launch their careers. 🚀

She shared how students can get involved now through SWANA’s Student Design Competition, scholarships, Young Professionals network, local Chapters, and free and discounted webinars and training. 🌟

These opportunities give students ways to expand their learning beyond the classroom, meet professionals working across the industry, and discover where a career in waste and resource management might take them.

⏰ And with student membership available at no cost, there’s no need to wait until graduation to become part of the SWANA community.

Thank you to Loyola University Maryland for the opportunity to connect with the next generation of environmental professionals!

Learn more about SWANA membership: https://swana.org/community/membership

10/19/2026

🐝 🍯 Bee hives, a PFAS water treatment plant, and a quarry repurposed into a landfill that turns waste into renewable energy – Champ Landfill serves approximately 1M residents, and attendees got a behind-the-scenes tour. 👀

🪴 The Sustainability Campus is the outreach and educational arm of this modern municipal waste facility featuring two greenhouses used by local schools, three bee hives, and a nature trail with a scenic overlook of the busy landfill and its North Quarry.

💧 The PFAS Water Treatment Plant educated attendees about the complex relationship between landfill operations, water management, and emerging contaminants.

💡 Champ Landfill, operated by Waste Connections, also generates a reliable source of renewable energy, transforming waste into electricity for the community.

Seeing firsthand how the facility monitors incoming waste, manages leachate, and works to be a good neighbor gave attendees a valuable look at practices and possibilities they can consider for their own operations.

🫶 Thank you to the Waste Connections team for hosting RCon® 2026 attendees. 🫶

Photo credit: Onterris

10/18/2026

🚦 During School Bus Safety Week, SWANA reminds solid waste and recycling professionals that protecting students on and around school buses is a shared responsibility. Obey the stop arm, give students space, expect the unexpected, and make the safe choice every time.

🔗 Learn more in SWANA's latest issue of : https://bit.ly/4Bb1Rb4

10/16/2026

🍁 A fresh season of learning is here! Check out SWANA’s Fall webinar line-up.

🌱 Oct. 21 | Composting, Community Planning & Zoning
🤖 Nov. 3 | AI in Waste Management
🎓 Nov. 10 | Student Design Competition Success Stories
♻️ Nov. 17 | Horizontal Landfill Gas Collection Systems

🍂 Grab your calendar, save the dates, and keep growing with SWANA! https://swana.org/events

10/16/2026

♻️ Refill. Scan. Give back. Repeat.

In celebration of America Recycles Day, SWANA is launching a new Fill it Forward challenge! 💧

From now through November 15, scan the QR code in the graphic every time you refill your reusable water bottle. ✅ Each scan supports clean water initiatives while tracking the positive impact of choosing reuse.

🏆 There’s a prize, too! The participant with the most refills wins a $25 gift card to the SWANA Store.

To compete, be sure to add your screen name and email so SWANA can contact you if you’re the top scanner!

📣 attendees: scan the QR code on your water bottle or sticker from RCon in St. Louis to compete in the America Recycles Day challenge and extend your impact.

🚰 SWANA and DENSO are proud to support the Fill It Forward mission is to “inspire the world to reuse,” turning an everyday action into an opportunity to reduce single-use waste and give back to communities around the world. 💚

Scan the QR code and start refilling! 💦

10/15/2026

🌎 The North American Hazardous Materials Management Association (NAHMMA) Annual Conference took place this week in Nashville, Tennessee.

🔥 SWANA Senior Director Kristyn Oldendorf presented on advocacy, and warned about lithium-ion batteries, compressed gas cylinders, marine flares, and other items that cause dangerous, costly fires and explosions in waste and recycling facilities. ♻️

Kristyn discussed practical approaches to encourage attendees to join SWANA and engage in advocacy on this important issue. 📣📣

Educational sessions covered topics including v**e management, PFAS, HHW collection models, battery collection, and more. 🔋 🚭

🤝 Attendees had some fun with networking events and at the silent auction which benefited the local Excellence in Motion non-profit.

🏅 Wednesday afternoon featured the competitive HHW Olympics, where teams competed to see who could get the best time in a relay race of activities.

🦺 SWANA proudly collaborates with on product safety education and resource sharing.

📍 We are looking forward to NAHMMA Annual Conference co-locating with , to be held September 21-24, 2027 in Portland, Oregon. Save the date to join us! ✅

10/15/2026

🧬 ♻️ How does work and what kind of plastics can it manage? The new SWANA report breaks down the types of technologies, feedstocks and end uses, and an overview of the policy landscape. It provides waste and resource management professionals with key considerations for evaluating the role of molecular recycling in plastics management.

🧑‍💻 The full report is available at no charge to SWANA members and available to non-members to purchase. To access this report and others as well as learn more about the SWANA (ARF), a member-directed research program, visit swana.org/resources/research.

Learn more at https://bit.ly/3TXDJI4

10/14/2026

🎙️ It started with one simple question: “How can I help?”

Five years ago, Ashley Ramsey reached out to her local SWANA Chapter looking for a way to get involved. 💫

That question opened the door to an opportunity to tackle a challenge familiar to many SWANA Chapters: how do you reach and engage more people online and through social media?

Today, Ashley continues to give back to the SWANA community as its Young Professional Representative of the Board of Directors.

♻In a new episode of the Recyclist Podcast, recorded live at RCon® 2026, Ashley shares her SWANA story and how getting involved created opportunities to contribute, connect and lead.

🎧 Tune in to hear Ashley’s story and discover what can happen when you simply ask, “How can I help?”

✨https://youtu.be/WJ9w3i5REag?si=Fqz7avs9MWNV9IaV

Diamond Systems LLC

10/11/2026

🌻 October 10 was around the world, aimed at raising awareness of mental health issues.

🌿 According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), more than 1 in 5 US adults experience mental illness each year, while more than 1 in 20 US adults experience serious mental illness annually. Someone in your life, whether a family member, friend, or coworker, may be struggling with their mental health.

By raising awareness about mental health, we are better prepared to support those in need and ourselves. Incorporating mental health tools daily, from taking walks to incorporating a hobby into your week, helps to maintain a baseline of self-care and provides opportunities to process your emotions and concerns. 💚

🔗To learn more, read SWANA’s latest issue of : https://bit.ly/4AZ6DIv